A couple of years ago I was asked to write a letter to a young girl.

I don’t know who she is, but from her story she resembles a young girl I used to know, who still resides in me, and I trust resides in us all.

Here is my letter to the young girl:

Dear You,

We do not know each other, but we all know pain and struggle, and we all are or have been teenagers, and you are not alone.

In your eyes and smile we can see what a beautiful, sweet and alive soul you are. There is hope, love, strength, forgiveness and innocence present inside of you. You will need to access these parts of you because life will sometimes feel disappointing and discouraging.

As you travel, here is…

My advice to you:

1. Pay attention. Every experience, relationship, thought, feeling—everything is a lesson to be learned and understood. It may sound overwhelming, especially when there are so many other things to pay attention to and be distracted by, but if you pay attention you will come to…
2. Know yourself. You are important, interesting, unique, gifted. You also feel sad and alone, and maybe think you are not good enough. With all of this inside of you, take time for just you, listening and comforting yourself through the sadness, and celebrating and laughing with your goodness.
If you don’t have one already, get yourself a pretty journal, and make it your best friend. Tell it everything, and as you write, you will….
3. Come to know the “Voice Inside.” In one of my father’s letters to me, his advice was: “Let the higher voice be your guide.” It is unfortunate many of us are not raised with this truth. This Voice is what makes us special, and no matter what you discover about yourself, I will tell you what the ‘Voice Inside’ told me…
4. There is nothing inside of you to be afraid of. What we are most afraid of is ourselves. Maybe because others told us we weren’t okay, but everything inside of you is good—everything. And inside of you is something only you can do, and if you listen, the “Voice Inside” will help you…
5. Find what you love. What makes your heart sing? What are you good at? What are your interests? What do others notice about you? Allow this “love” to be your primary focus, and believe in yourself, and what only you can offer to yourself and the world, and while you are doing what you love and everything in between…

6. Love yourself. My mom always told me to look in the mirror, and say, “I love you.” I would roll my eyes, but you know what? Loving yourself is the most important thing you can do. In this love, softness returns in places where you were once hardened and protected. In this soft place, you are free and alive and you find joy, a joy you can bring to your life, yourself and others.

When I was younger, in another letter from my father he wrote, “As your life moves on and some suffering comes your way, remember you are loved.” May this advice to you always serve as a reminder of just how much you are loved, just for being you.

These, Dear You, are your foundation years. Begin seeking you now, for you will never fail you, even when all you may seem to see is failure. With your inner foundation in place, you will always have a secure and safe place in which to stand.